Romantic Period - Early 19th Century

Anselm Hüttenbrenner: Erlkönig

Along with Franz
Schubert's Erlkönig the composition of
the same text by his friend, Anselm Hüttenbrenner
(1794 - Graz - 1868; Picture) shouldn't be forgotten. (It
should be noted that Goethe's ballad was one of the most
popular texts to be set to music - ca 130 identified
compositions.) In contrast to Schubert's version, which
achieves perfect unity of text and musical structure,
Hüttenbrenner's is much less dramatic. Although he
also composes the text as a whole (not strophically), he
loses tension with long interludes and numerous
repetitions. In his defense however, it must be said that
the Erlkönig among his earlier compositions out of
the 250 some songs he eventually wrote.
Hüttenbrenner wrote this version in 1829. (E.
Stadler)